…many feared dead , others rushed to the hospital
A pipeline has exploded in Rumuekpe , Rivers state.
The community development chairman, Mr Sheriff confirmed the tragic incident said no fewer than 15 people were caught in the fire with 3 rushed to the local hospital and the others dead.
Sheriff said some boys who are engaged in illegal bunkering snuck into the bush at 12am, open the valve of the pipeline to fetch the crude but unfortunately for them the pipeline caught fire.
Their vehicles got burnt , the women among them died instantly
The NSCDC divisional Officer , Rivers state, Yakubu Garba who was on ground said he got an Intel of the incident and immediately stormed the area.
” I got an Intel from an informant that the boys were doing bunkering. We arrived there at about 4am, the boys saw us and ran away”
Yakubu said his officers were able to get some of the boys while the others fled.
“By the time we got there, we saw them trying to save their vehicles from the fire but ran away when they saw us. We were able to get some of them ”
The vice chairman of the community complained of the government’s negligence of the people of Rumuekpe. He said there are no jobs from the federal government, state government and even Shell.
He was of the opinion that this is the reason why the youths embark on illegal bunkering.
He called on the government to intervene in the situation of the community.
